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A single organ donation organisation for the whole of the United Kingdom should be set up to ease the shortage of donor organs, a government task force has concluded in a report published this week.

More than 8000 people in the UK are currently awaiting organ transplants—primarily kidneys—and the numbers are rising by about 8% every year, according to figures from UK Transplant. Over 1000 people die every year waiting for a transplant.

The report, drawn up by representatives from specialist societies, MPs, and royal colleges, among others, nominates NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) as the most suitable candidate to take on the task.